“I’m Surrounded By Idiots!”

If you’ve ever uttered Scar’s famous quote from the Lion King (as only Jeremy Irons can express it), I suggest you pause for a moment to think about what you said. Consider the possibility that the people you’re talking about are not idiots at all, you might be just treating them that way. Or, on the off chance they really ARE idiots, then why would you surround yourself with these people in the first place?

In either case, surrounding yourself with people you respect is your responsibility – it’s on you, no one else. Who you surround yourself with matters. As you assess progress against your goals for the back half of this year, take stock of the people around you. Are they contributing to your success, holding you back, or dragging you down? While you’re at it, ask yourself if you are contributing positively to the people who depend on you to lift them up. This is the time to course correct on both fronts.

Don’t be a Scar (or one of the hyenas for that matter). Here’s the scene from the movie that inspired Scar’s famous assertion. You can do better!